“I’ve always loved the way a woman looks in a tuxedo, from my first women’s collection until now,” mused Ralph Lauren. “My Fall 2019 Women’s Collection celebrates that timeless style, more relevant than ever, for the modern woman who is both independent and glamorously contemporary.” This modern woman was Gigi Hadid. She wore a black and cream herringbone tweed coat, black marocaine pant and white broadcloth tuxedo shirt. On her feet, she wore a grosgrain pump in black patent, her waist was nipped with a shiny black satin cummerbund sarong, her collar fastened with a slim satin bowtie. She glided through an impeccable crowd of fashionable sophisticates and debonair men in sharp bow ties at a chic Art Deco club in the heart of Downtown Manhattan. They sipped martinis and swirled cognac, their hair rich in curls and slicked back with gel. Waiters in dapper whites shook and stirred to the smooth voice of Frank Sinatra covering Cole Porter’s classic, Night and Day. This was Ralph’s Club.

Like the set of a 1930s film noir, Lauren opened Ralph’s Club for fashion’s glitterati, a ceremonious unveiling for his Fall 2019 collection for New York Fashion Week. A nod to the glamorous New York nightlife of the 1920’s and 1930’s, Ralph’s Club reimagined the golden era when New Yorkers dressed to be seen. They took Fifth Avenue in fur stoles and waistcoats and opera gloves. There was not a sneaker in sight. Lycra, thankfully, was not yet invented, and hemlines were modest as oppose to mini. Occasion dressing was the norm, something Lauren wanted to illustrate for his modern consumer. And what better place than Ralph’s Club.

Showcasing the art of black-tie dressing as a form of powerful expression, his Fall 2019 Collection came to life with an immersive, content-first experience inside the grandeur walls of the Club. Inspired by the timeless elegance of tailored tuxedos and sleek evening attire of the bygone era, the collection merged classic silhouettes with a new sense of effortlessness and exquisite detailing. There were new interpretations of club wear, model Luna in a blue velvet jumpsuit, for example, or Caroline in a black glossy mikado skirt. But there was also the languid, soigné evening wear, Bella’s dark red stretch tulle dress or Naomi’s black washed organza dress made for dramatic entrances only.

A refined, after-dark palette of black and white was punctuated with vibrant hues of amethyst, crimson, sapphire blue and yellow, while decadent fabrications such as velvet, lamé, satin, sequinned cashmere and faux fur took centre stage. But with its familiar heritage came unexpected charm; most notably in the form of flirty lacquered leather dancer’s skirts and feathered minis paired with sultry beaded tops. There was even a short black sequin cocktail dress which featured the iconic Martini Polo Bear. But above all else, it was the designer’s signature tuxedo which proved the star. Reimagined with unique pairings, including dress shirts with bib fronts and winged collars, and complimented with bows both dramatic and petite in size, the new Ralph Lauren tuxedo is for the modern sophisticate who likes to dress up – and more importantly, likes to be seen.

View The Collection Below: